Flood tested our hurricane readiness

Massive flooding tested emergency services disaster preparation, and the recovery is draining the budgets of relief organizations just weeks before hurricane season officially begins

Escambia firefighters and emergency services personnel from various organizations got a practice run rescuing the residents of Forest Creek Apartments April 30 after torrential rains caused the complex to flood once again. Their efforts served as perfect preparation as we head into the beginning of hurricane season June 1.(Photo: Bruce Graner/bgraner@pnj.com)

This is typically when emergency management agencies begin gearing up for the season by hosting mock hurricane drills, fine-tuning plans and sending out public service announcements about "The first 72 is on you," urging residents to stock up and make their own storm plans.

Last week's flooding disaster certainly tested everyone's readiness.

With emergency management teams and disaster relief agencies fully involved with the major flooding that blindsided the area April 29-30, that has many people wondering if the event has better prepared our area for a hurricane or tropical storms, especially if one hits early in the season, or drained resources.

"It definitely stretched our resources, but prepared us at the time," said Brad Baker, Santa Rosa County emergency management director about the flood. "We had a practice run. The type of recovery efforts we're doing now are the same as we'd be doing for a hurricane."

Since the flood disaster didn't involve all of the agencies and resources that would be activated during a hurricane, the county is still planning on joining the state in a hurricane exercise May 19-22, Baker said.

"We'll activate the (emergency operation center) and bring in our emergency support functions — the positions in the center for Gulf Power, law enforcement, fire and all the agencies," he said. "We'll test our systems ... run through scenarios, test our computers. We'll tweak them as needed."

A flotilla of rescue boats ply the waters that were once roads in the Forest Creek Apartment complex and so go back and forth from Patton Drive, the entrance to the complex, rescuing residents trapped in their flooded apartments as the result of heavy rains moving through the area Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.(Photo: Bruce Graner/bgraner@pnj.com)

One flood-related concern that's already on the radar screen of emergency managers is the need to be prepared for a massive amount of trees toppling if an early strong tropical storm or hurricane hits our area, thanks to an over-saturated ground, Baker said.

Trees are more susceptible to toppling when their roots systems are sitting in wet soil, he said.

The flood also tested two disaster outreach umbrella organizations — Escambia's Be Ready Alliance and Santa Rosa's Support Alliance For Emergency Readiness — which were put into place in the years following Ivan and Dennis to engage their communities in being disaster resilient.

They do this by recruiting a host of non-profits, businesses and relief organizations with a goal to coordinate resources more aggressively and efficiently when disaster strikes. They partner with each of their county's emergency management agencies to provide trained volunteers who fan out into the community assisting in everything from light search and rescue, disaster counseling, medical response, to debris cleanup.

"What this event has done for BRACE has validated everything we've done to engage partners and to prepare the whole community for an emergency," said Greg Strader, executive director. "We work 365 days a year putting into practice the lessons learned from Hurricanes Ivan, Dennis and Katrina."

One of those lessons learned was the priority to efficiently coordinate the needs of hurricane victims with the appropriate relief agency, in a confidential way, Strader said. That need launched Escambia United Way's 2-1-1 one-stop resource and referral service, he said.

In the wake of the 2004-2005 hurricanes, that flow of information could not be handed over to volunteer teams because of confidentiality issues.

"This system dramatically speeds up the process," he said.

The service, which helps people with everyday financial disasters in nine Panhandle counties, has been swamped with calls — 500 a day — from flood victims seeking everything from food and shelter to assistance with rent and other emergency needs.

Andrea Krieger, president of United Way of Escambia County, said the 2-1-1 system has worked well during the flood. It's now coordinating clients with some of the more than 3,000 local, state and national organizations and agencies that are available, once a disaster declaration is issued, to meet their flood-related needs.

"Ivan prepared us to know we need, in times of disasters of this magnitude, to communicate outside of our own community and leverage resources outside our community," she said.

Even with that help, local agencies are being drained dry by the huge demand of needs from uninsured or under-insured flood victims with mortgages, rent, food, utilities and other immediate needs, she said.

"Those agencies need money," she said.

That's why Krieger worked with her national and state offices to establish the online donation site last week HelpNWFrecover.org to collect money that will directly go to United Ways and agency partners who provide direct assistance to flood victims in need, she said.

The needs are great, even with FEMA recovery grants and loans available. Ivan taught us that it will take a patchwork of help to make flood victims whole, Krieger said.

More than $11,000 has been donated through the "Help" website, so far. And it will be ready to go for hurricane season, Krieger said.

"That's the one good thing from this flood," she said. "The site is in place...if we have another disaster event, all we have to do is activate the portal."

BRACE, which formed in 2006, also coordinates the many out-of-town relief organizations that are pouring into the area with the victims who need their help salvaging their belongings, and de-mucking and gutting their homes, and beginning the rebuilding process.

Pat Crawford, a BRACE board member, said relief agencies mobilized much quicker during this flooding event than they did in the wake of Ivan and Dennis.

"That bodes well for what's to come," he said. "Thanks to organizations like BRACE, we're better prepared than any other community in Florida."

Area disaster responders say there's no worries about having plenty of supplies — water, cleanup kits — handy for hurricane season. But this flood did reveal a weakness in the county's disaster response: having a pool of well-trained and vetted volunteers, said Daniel Hahn, administrator for Santa Rosa's SAFER.

"We need a more robust and sustainable pool of volunteers," he said.

If there is a silver lining to the flood, he said, the county's south end disaster command center at the United Methodist Church in Gulf Breeze is collecting a great roster of volunteers they can tap into and train to be ready for the hurricane season.

"This flood had strengthened us for future disasters," he said. "Every incident you participate in, makes you more prepared for whatever comes next."

As prepared as we were, Crawford said the flood should serve as a wake-up call for everyone.

"This is another wake-up call, just like Ivan was a wake-up call 10 years ago. It shows it's not always hurricanes. The lesson here is, and the one the state has been emphasizing, is individual responsibility."

Area residents didn't have time to prepare for last week's flooding. But in reality, residents living on the dynamic Gulf Coast that's prone to stormy weather should always be prepared for a flood, tropical storm or hurricane, said Baker.

"They need to remember the first 72 hours is on them," he said about the federal campaign that urges the public take control of their own survival by having enough food, water and other supplies to last long enough for local officials and relief workers to get to them following a disaster.

"It's been a while since we've had a major hurricane," he said. "People get complacent. So dust off your plan and get prepared. Residents need to have ample supplies of canned goods and ramp up medical supplies and make a decision if they're going to stay or go if an evacuation order is issued."

• Be Ready Alliance or BRACE prepares the Esambia County community for disasters with a goal to reduce loss of life, injury, property damage, environmental impact and economic loss due to disaster through fostering communication, cooperation, collaboration and coordination among community, faith-based, non-profit, private and public organizations active in one or more phases of emergency management. Join or learn more at www.BeReadyAlliance.org or at (850) 444-7135.

• SAFER is the successor of the Santa Rosa Long Term Recovery Organization that developed after hurricanes Ivan and Dennis. During periods when there are no disasters, SAFER attempts to meet the needs of the less fortunate in the community. Join or learn more at http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/coad/index.cfm or (850) 983-4606.

Also go to PNJ.com/floodhelp to find a list of other volunteer opportunities.

Get prepared

As county and city emergency responders gear up for hurricane season, they'll help the public prepare by dispersing disaster guides. And a number of hurricane awareness events for the public are slated in the upcoming weeks.

Escambia's Be Ready Alliance is working with the City of Pensacola and Escambia Emergency Management, along with public safety organizations to host Hurricane Disaster Preparedness Day, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 31 at Community Maritime Park. Contact BRACE at (850)444-7135 for details.